Dice box



Patented Feb. 20, 1940 I o Y l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE molil Box y Robert s. Robinson, chicago, 11i. Application January 31, 1938, Serial No. `187,799

1 claim. (o1. 273-145) The present invention relates generally to dice facility and with but little additional cost over boxes. More particularly the invention relates conventional dice boxes. to that type of dice box which is formed for the Other objects of the invention and the various most part of comparatively stiff leather and comadvantages and characteristics of the present dice 5 prises a circular bottom and a separately formed box will beapparent from a consideration of the 5 *f cylindrical side wall which has one end thereof following detailed description. joined to the margin of the bottom and its other The invention consists in the several novel feaend open and forms with the bottom an open tures which are hereinafter set forth and are ended compartment into which dice may be inmore particularly defined by the claim at the conn M serted for shaking purposes and from which the clusion hereof. 10

dice after shaking4 may be discharged in con- In the drawing which accompanies and forms a nection with the playing of agame. i part of this `specification or disclosure and in One object of the invention is toprovide a, dice which like numerals of reference denote correbox of this type which is an improvement upon, spohdinspa-rts throughout the several views:

` lo and fulfills its intended purpose more efliciently `F'gllle 1 iS a DBISPGCDVE View 0f a dCe bOX m` 15 and effectively than, previously designed dice bOdl/ng the iIlVeIltOn; boxes of the same general character by reason of Figure 2 iS a longitudinal Sectional View illusthe feet that it embodies a hir-gute ring which trating in detail the construction, design and arextends around the interior of the open end of rangement of the hifsute nog around the inte the Side Wan of the box and Opel-etes (l) te prerior of the open end of the side wall of the box; 20

vent the user of the box from cheating by holding andi@ a die during shaking of the box atly against the Flgure 3,15 o fragmentary longltodmal seotflonafl inner face of the side wall of the box in such VoW Showmg thomanflor m Whoh the hlrsote manner that it is concealed or obstructed by the nog operates ourmg mung of the box for oloe hand and then after releasing the die ai the casting purposes to trip the dice so that they roll conclusion of the shaking operation tilting or over one another in an uncontrollable manner.

The dice `box which is shown in the drawing tipping the box upslde down in such manner as to t Cause the previously held die to drop Onto the dice constltutes the preferred embodlment of the 1nb r 1 f .th t f lvention. .It is adapted fornuse in shaking and trfope g 211er asia ll ol then casting or roll1ng a plurality or set of dice D 30 the board or surface over the dropped die withand compl-EES a bottom 4 a Continuous side Wall out disturbing the latter; and (2) to trip the dice 5 and a hlrsute ung 6 in connection with `a normal or regular cast so The bottom 4 is Circular' It is formed of com' that they rou over one another and Onto the paratively stiff leather or like material and has a b d t 11 b1 circular or disk-like pad 1 on the inner face 35 Oar m an u ncon ro o e moonen. thereof. The margin of `the bottom is bent up- Another obJect of the invention 1s to provide Wards at right angles as Shown in Figures 1 and an improved dice box wherein oro employed o 2, and forms an annular flange 8 which surrounds plurality of closely spaced, relatlvely short, iexand` is spaced outwardly from the pad 1 and ible projections Positioned croumferentiauy of serves to stiifen or reinforce the bottom `of the the open end of the dice box and extending from box, The pad 1 is formed of rubber or any the 51de Wal'l lntello'ly Qf the Open end 0f Phe other suitable elastic material and causes the dice box for frictionally engaging portions of the d10@ D when brought into Contact therewith as the when they are Cast frOm the '00X fOl the DUI'POSG result of a shaking operation to bounce and jostle of causlng a random motion and course of the against one anothen 45 dlcel 'I'he side wall 5 is cylindrical and has the botiAnother obiect of the mventlon 1s to prOVlde a tom end thereof disposed Within the annular dice box ofthe last mentioned character in which flange 3 11; is formed 0f `the Same material as the hrSute hg al'OuIld the nteolj @fthe Open the bottom 4, that is, comparatively stiff leather end of the 51de Wall 0 the boli 1S OImed 0f and forms with the bottom an open ended com- 50 closely sheared Sheepskm and 1s arranged so partment 9 for the dice. The bottom end of the that the hairy or woolly Sido iS llterorly disposed. side wall is connected by a row of stitches Il) to A further obJect of the invention is to provide the ange and surrounds and engages the edge a dice box which is generally of new and improved of the elastic pad 1, as shown inFigure 2. The

construction and may be manufactured with upper end of the cylindrical wall 5 is bentin- 55 wardly and downwardly so that it is of double thickness and hence suitably reinforced. The dice D are adapted to be inserted into the compartment Q through the open upper end of the side Wall of the dice box and then after shaking of the box for dice mixing purposes to be cast or discharged from the compartment by tipping or tilting the box upside down over the board or playing surface for the dice.

,The ring t fits against the inner .face .of the open upper end of the side wall of the box and is secured in place by stitches l l. It is formed of sheepskin and is arranged so thatv the hairy vor woolly side thereof is disposed interiorly. Use of the hirsute ring serves to provide a plurality of -closely spaced, relatively short, exible projections extending within the mouth or open end of the dice box. The hide part of the ring abuts directly against the inner face of .the inwardly and downwardly bent portion of the upper open end of the side wall of the boxand corresponds in height to such portion. The stitches Il are yin the form of a single row and are centrally positioned with respect to the ring. As shown in Figores 2 and 3, the stitches pass` through and are centrally positioned with respect to the leather part of the ring and the doubled back portion of theupper end of the side wall 5. The hairy or woolly part of the ring is sufficiently bushy so that it overlies and underlies the topy and bottom edges of the hide part of the ring. The ring ii which contains a plurality of flexible projections serves a twonfold purpose. In the first place it operates when the dice'box is tilted after shaking ofthe dice to trip the dice in an effective manner as they leave the compartment 9. Secondly it prevents cheating because when an attempt is made by a dishonest user of the box to control the throw of a. die onto the dice board Or playing surface by holding it in a concealed manner and flatly against the inner face of the side wall of the box during shaking of the dice and then sliding it or dropping it in a predetermined manner onto the board so that it rests with a certain face thereof uppermost such die embeds itself into the hairy or Wooly side of the ring and the hair or Wool operates as a `result of frictional contact Withone of the cornersto trip the die and prevent it from dropping onto the board Without rolling. During anormal cast ofthe dice the dice are arrested momentarily by the ring and as a result of contact of their corners with the hairy or woolly side of the ring catapult or roll in a Well disorganized or random manner from the box.

The herein described dice box may be manufactured with but little increase in cost over conventional dice boxes and is extremely durable due to the fact that the hirsute ring 6 serves to reinforce the upper open end oi the side wall of the box and in addition formsa cushion for the top edge of the box side Wall when the box is inverted and thrust downwards onto the dice board. By employing the hirsute ring 6 the dice box effectively and eiciently fuliills its intended purpose by causing pronounced tripping of the dice during cast of the latter and in addition it is practically impossible during use of the box to control the roll or action of any die with a view of cheating. The side wall of the box is made so that it is ve or more inches in height. By

lhaving the side wall of such height it is imposg scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A dice lbox comprising a bottom, a continuous side wall having'one end thereof `connected to the bottom and its` other end Open and forming with said bottom an Open ended compartment for shaking dice, a plurality of closely spaced, relatively short, exible projections positioned circumferentially ci the open end of said compartment and extending from said side Wall interiorly of said openend for rictionally engaging portions of the dice when they are cast from the compartment thereby resulting in a random motion and course of the dice.

ROBERT s.' ROBINSON. 

